Dragon Mistress
by La-Bella-Luna
Summary: Alessandra is thrown into the middle of the War of the Lance. She soon discovers new talents that can determine the path of her life and the lives of so many others. But the love she finds can send her careening into darkness, and all of Krynn with her.
1. Solace

**Author's Note: This story is based on the War of the Lance/ Dragons of Autumn Twilight series. They are the only books I have read from the Dragonlance Chronicles. Therefore, I do not know what happens to Raistlin later nor do I know about Crysania. Raistlin is my favorite character and will have a large part in this story. **

**That said, enjoy! R&R!

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"Do you think he really loves me?" Jenna's dreamy voice rang out for the fifth time in ten minutes.

I tried my very best not to groan in frustration, but I had been listening to this drabble for an hour. It isn't that I don't have any love my roommate; we've actually gotten along much better than I could have hoped for my first two years at Yale, but I was attempting to write my term paper which needed to be finished within the next few days. And she wasn't helping.

"Can you turn that off?" I asked unkindly. She was watching some sappy black and white movie where the woman who looked like Barbie and the love of her life were bound to get together in the end.

Jenna clicked off the small television. Then she sat up in her bed and turned her big, dreamy eyes to me. "Do you think he really meant it, Aless?" she asked again.

I sighed and clicked the save button on my computer. Running a hand through my wavy brown hair, I turned to her and studied her intently, mentally summing up her situation and trying to come up with an answer that wouldn't completely crush her heart.

Here was the dilemma: Jenna and her boyfriend had been dating for two months. Jenna was still virgin. No big deal, so are a lot of people. But her boyfriend plays basketball for Yale and has a bad reputation for screwing girls and then dumping them. But Jenna wasn't putting out, and I believe that is the reason that he very recently said those three deadly words: I love you.

"Do you really want the truth?" I asked. She nodded her head eagerly, but I knew I would have to water it down and then she would still get mad at me. I can't help it that I don't like to sugarcoat things. "Ok, here goes. No, I don't think so. I think he just wants to get in your pants."

Jenna's eyes immediately lost their sparkling wonder. Her lips pressed tightly together and the corners tugged downward suggesting a frown. Guilt began to bob its ugly head in my chest.

"I'm sorry, Jenna," I apologized. I folded up my laptop and stuck beneath my mattress for safe keeping. "I'm gonna go to my dance class and then I'm going shopping. Can I get you anything?" She didn't respond, so I grabbed my bag and headed out the door leaving Jenna to solve her own problem.

Now when I said dance class, I wasn't lying. I am dancer, but an unconventional one. No, I'm not an exotic dancer for all you whose minds are in the gutter. I am a belly dancer, and there is a fine difference between the two. Not to toot my own horn, but I'd been involved with belly dancing for many years and I was getting quite good. I also used it because it helps tone your muscles and keeps away the dreaded "freshman fifteen." It also gave me better muscle control which is helpful for dancing in the clubs.

But regardless of what kind of dance I take or why I take it, I went to class and it ended only an hour later. I decided that under no circumstances was I going to go back to the dorm and listen to more of Jenna's problems. So I made the decision to waste my time in the little downtown village window shopping. After all, a college student like me doesn't really have much money to burn on unnecessary purchases.

Now I'm not a big fan of the big city of New Haven, which is the city Yale is near. Instead I prefer to shop in the older part of the city where little antique furniture and pottery stores line the streets. And this is where I was, window shopping and making myself walk away from adorable little trinkets and jewelry that I knew could break my bank account, when an unfamiliar store caught my attention.

The broken, splintering sign above it read _Inn of the Last Home: Exotic finds from all Places on_. I had walked through here several times a year and definitely didn't remember a store named that. Puzzled, I squinted at the name and found that there was a word missing on the end. Yet as I looked closer I saw the rough outline of a _K_. Shrugging, I began to walk away. But, as fate would have it, my curiosity got the better of me and I walked into the little shop to explore.

I pushed the door open and found that it was even smaller than I first thought from seeing the outside. There were rough looking wooden shelves that lined one wall and were stacked with the strangest assortment of items I had ever seen. There were glasses on display labeled _Glasses of True Seeing_ that sat next to a large collection of night-blue bound books. Hung on another wall was an odd collection of staffs, armor, and weapons. One staff was wooden with a strange blue crystal on the end. Another was wooden with a golden claw at the end that clutched an orb. There were malevolent looking swords and horrifying horned helmets.

The final wall was papered with maps from foreign lands that looked nothing like what I'd seen of Earth. A long glass counter stood in front of the wall that served as a display case for valuable items. Resting on top of the glass was a dirty, bent wizard's hat that made me think of _Harry Potter_. I approached the hat and case, wondering what sort of strange business a hat like that had in a store like this.

Once again my curiosity got the better of me and I decided to take a closer look at the hat. Not that I found it interesting, but I thought it looked pretty funny. I reached out to pick it up, but my actions were cut short when a man's voice broke the silence.

"Ah, there's that blasted hat! Never can remember where I put the thing!" I whirled around to find an old man dressed entirely in white grumbling to himself. He abruptly snatched the hat off the counter and placed it on his head. He hadn't appeared to have noticed me. That is, of course, until I started laughing at him wearing that stupid hat.

"I say, do I know you?" He asked me, stroking his long white beard.

"Uh, no sir," I replied, startled into good manners and politeness by his stern gaze.

He eyed me thoughtfully for a moment then shrugged. "Are you sure? Ah well. Then it's only proper we introduce ourselves."

"Alessandra," I offered politely. Ok, so it's not a name you hear everyday but that's a lot of the reason that I like it.

The old man beamed at me. "A pleasure to meet you, Alessandra. And my name is…well, it's…oh, give me a moment, I'll come up with it…"

I couldn't help smiling at the crazy man. He reminded me of one of my relatives, elderly, nice, and completely losing his mind. As I watched him struggle, a sparkle of light caught my eye. I looked back down to where his hat had been sitting on the display case. A shimmering gold necklace glimmered where it had apparently been hiding beneath the hat.

I could still hear him murmuring, but only vaguely. Time seemed to stop as I held the necklace in my gaze. It was amazing. The thick braided chain glimmered silver and gold and led to a blazing pendant. It was a diamond shaped pendant that seemed to be both silver and gold at the same time while not yielding to a more dominant one. Atop the diamond sat a fearsome golden dragon. Its mouth hung open to reveal pointed teeth that looked like they could cut my skin even though they were just a golden figure. Two clawed arms reached around the sides of the diamond as though protecting a beautiful treasure. And I understood why the moment I saw what lay in the center of the pendant, guarded by the dragon. Five brilliant little jewels shone with such intensity that I could feel power radiating from them. I eyed them all and took in their colors, which reflected off the glass of the display case. Red, green, white, blue, and black.

One word came to mind: _Divine_.

That was all I could think as I saw the mighty dragon and the jewels it guarded so fiercely. There was beauty, power, and purpose. It evoked such emotion in me that I nearly had tears in my eyes.

"Fizban!" I heard the old man shout happily. The word wrenched me from my near trance. I caught my hand in midair as I was reaching out for the treasure. Swallowing hard, reluctant to turn my face away, I looked back at the old man. "My name is Fizban." I followed his finger to where it pointed on his shirt. A rusty, would-be golden name tag hung sloppily and read _Innkeeper: Fizban_. I took that to mean he owned the place.

"I say, do you own this place?" Fizban asked me curiously. I gave him a look that matched somewhere between confusion and disgust. Not that I'm arrogant, I just don't always have patience for those of extremely low IQ, like Fizban.

"No," I replied quickly. I turned my back on him and continued studying the strange necklace. This time I reached out to grab it. The moment my fingers closed around it I had the strangest sensation that I was meant to have it. It was made for me. I lifted it to my face in order to study it more closely.

"Are you sure you don't own this place?" came Fizban's voice. "It's rather nice. You're not a thief are you?" he asked suddenly, studying me suspiciously as I held the necklace.

"What? No!" I denied his accusation quickly.

He crooked a finger at me. "Well you had best not be! I don't take kindly to thieves!" After another stern glance Fizban walked over to a wall and plucked a plain wooden staff from it. He murmured, "Wonderful place! Just wonderful!"

He remained quiet for a moment (not that I really listened when he did say something) and was content to study the shop as I studied the necklace. I tried not to groan when he spoke again. "Who do you suppose owns this place? It's not good business to leave a store unwatched with so many dangerous people around. I think I'll tell them that."

I turned back to him and frowned when I saw him narrowing his eyes in suspicion once more. What was with this guy? Then I did something very unusual for me and decided to be helpful. "Excuse me, sir, but I think this is your shop. After all, your name tag does say 'Innkeeper.'"

Fizban frowned and glanced down at his shirt. He quickly looked up smiling widely. "So it does! I guess this is my shop. Are you a thief? Are you going to steal that?"

"No, sir!" I said again with a little more force. Then I made a split-second decision that was known to destroy college students like myself. "I was actually wondering if I might buy it from you."

I began to pull out my wallet, but Fizban waved his hand carelessly. "No, no, no. I wouldn't hear of it. You reunited me with my shop. You keep it."

I bit back an unkind reply about the minds of the elderly and decided to stay with my gracious, polite manner. Through my life I've learned the value of faking your emotions and pretend to be something you're not in the right company. "Are you sure? It looks very valuable."

"Everything has value. It just depends on who's looking at it," came his soft reply. His sudden change of manner and intelligence startled me. I looked up at him to find his eyes no longer lost and confused, but strong and sure. I couldn't help but smile.

"Thank you, sir. I'll come back to see you some time," I promised softly, though I wasn't entirely sure why. Then I slipped the necklace around my neck, grabbed my bag (which held my wallet and keys) and started towards the door.

"No thanks are required, Alessandra. Perhaps we will see one another sooner than you might think."

I didn't stop to ponder his words. In fact, I wasn't really sure that I heard them at all. Instead I pulled the door open while studying my new possession and was met with a scene that I wasn't prepared for.

I fist noticed the change in the smells. The world I knew smelled like gasoline, steel, and rain. Instead I caught the distinct scent of fire, something I hadn't encountered since my youth when I built bonfires with my grandfather. Yet there was also something else in the air. I couldn't identify it at first, but it soon became clear to me that it was not welcome to me. Unfortunately for me, it didn't take me long to realize that I smelled (and felt) death in the air.

I glanced up in alarm. My first thought was that I had stepped into a movie, maybe something like _Lord of the Rings_. It was a ravaged town thick with fire, depression, death, and evil. I saw tree stumps that must have been large enough to hold houses, and hundreds of tents and armor and swords. Swords? Something was definitely wrong. The US hadn't used swords for over a century.

It was then I realized that this was real. I glanced around in horror, praying that I wasn't in mortal danger. During the frantic searching of my eyes, I spotted a sign. It had only a few simple words on it, but they chilled me to the bone.

_Solace, Territory of Lord Verminaard_

What the hell happened!

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**Sorry the first chapter may be a little long and boring, but it will only get better. The companions will be a part of the next chapter. Hope you liked it. R&R!**


	2. Inn of the Last Home

**Author's Note: First, thank you to those who reviewed. I really appreciate it. **

**Second, as I went back and reread over the first chapter of this series, I was awfully disappointed and ashamed. It seemed clear to me that the writing style in the first chapter sucked! I am terribly sorry to those of you who were pained by that. I will do my very best to improve. Feel free to tell me how bad the first chapter was and – hopefully – that I improved drastically in the second one. **

**And third, I am going to begin altering the story line starting with this chapter. It won't be anything drastic; the characters will still undergo all the same events. But now I have another character to mix in. I hope it's not too much for you. Thank you. R&R!

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My head buzzed in confusion as I tentatively entered the Inn of the Last Home. Darkness had been tugging at the corners of my mind since the moment I first arrived in Solace. This darkness and confusion was swirling the thoughts in my brain almost to the point of making them incomprehensible. It wasn't that I didn't know who I am; in fact I remember most of my life in pain staking detail. It was only the past few days and how I arrived here (not to mention where I am) that rested just beyond my conscious thoughts. And not knowing made my fear increase that much more.

Despite not knowing where I am or how I got here, I figured standing out in the middle of nowhere was not a very smart decision. It didn't take me long to spot some extra garments and an inn. In fact, it looked like one of the only buildings left in Solace. With no where else to go, I chose that.

A long, dirty cloak covered my figure and face as I walked through the Inn. Even I in my confused state still had the sense of mind to try and look like one of the locals. I even found a leather pack that I transferred all of my belongings into. However, to see just how out of place I really am, all you would have to do is rip off the cloak. Then you would find black athletic pants, a black racer-back shirt, and tennis shoes. Needless to say I was praying that no one happened to see my shoes from beneath the cloak.

I know there would are people out there who are wondering why I didn't change all my clothes. I will be kind enough to provide you with an answer. I have concluded that I am somewhere back in the middle ages (although I didn't know a place called Solace existed) and people in the middle ages didn't have much care for hygiene. Therefore, the smell of the cloak and bag alone were enough to make me gag. There was no way in hell I was going to take off my comfortable clothes to put on ones that would make me itch and smell even worse. Besides, they didn't even wear bras or underwear. Gross.

The Inn of the Last Home didn't look like any inn I had ever been to. It actually reminded me more of a Bed and Breakfast. There were tables and chairs set up all around the room, a bar, and a set of stairs that led to the rooms for rent. But there was also black soot that covered most of the space and gave off an odor so terrible that it was hard for me to breathe. Holding my breath I took a seat in the corner near the fire, far away from everyone else. Huddled in the corner, I gazed around the room to get a better feel of my surroundings and hopefully spot any danger.

All in all, there didn't seem to be much business in the Inn tonight. Another stranger sat near the door, alone and suspicious like myself. A small group of men were laughing and drinking at another table. There were only three other groups of customers, all of which made me catch my breath in fear and disgust.

One group was far dirtier and smellier than any other in the room. There skin was slightly pinkish and they were having a loud, crude conversation that involved the mention of a young barmaid. I couldn't believe my eyes or my mind for thinking this, but they looked like everything a goblin was supposed to look like.

If the goblins looked scary, they had nothing on the second group. I truly could not come up with a name for them. They had slimy, scaled skin and leering eyes. They were also talking loudly about the young barmaid and ordering her over. I bit my lip as I looked them over. To me they seemed deformed and repulsive. They looked almost like they had once been creatures of divine reptilian beauty and power, but they had become hideously deformed by some heinous act. Tearing my gaze away, I examined the last group.

The third noticeably larger party sat huddled across the room from me, which was all the better since they made knots form in my stomach. One man was huge and reminded me of a linebacker, another seemed fairly normal with a red beard; one was dressed in a knight's armor that made me smile in disbelief (the thought of seeing a real knight was so farfetched to me at that moment). A strangely dressed couple (well, compared to the rest) sat together talking quietly. I guess I could have called them barbarians, even though the word seemed to describe everyone else perfectly, too. Then there were two people that I didn't know how to describe. The first seemed to remind me of a dwarf only that his white beard covered most of him. The second left me completely bewildered. He looked almost like a child, young and impish, with the exception that he seemed so much older. The last man in the group sat quenched in darkness, surrounded by his red robes. He drank quietly and made no sound. Yet the feeling that he was looking at me sent chills up my spine and I swore I saw a glimpse of gold before I finally averted my eyes.

They were undoubtedly where any trouble would arise.

In the time that I was examining the others, I didn't notice the young barmaid make her way over to me. Her red curls bounced as she walked. "Can I get you something?" she asked coldly.

I made the mistake of looking up at her as I shook my head. She peered inside the hood of my cloak and saw my face. Her expression softened as she did. After all, we had to be around the same age.

"Are you sure?" she asked in a noticeably softer voice. "The ale's good tonight."

I shook my head again. Ale (whatever alcohol knock-off) did sound nice. But in this world I am poor and penniless. I doubted American paper money would go over well here. Yet she seemed to understand because she gave me a sympathetic look and walked over to the largest and most diverse group.

It struck me that I had made a mistake when I saw the red headed girl whisper quietly to them while passing out plates of potatoes with a nice spicy smell. Several members of the group turned slightly and I felt their eyes on me. Yet at this point I was terrified enough that I wasn't too affected by their looks. It was my growing desire to be near the reptile-men that scared me senseless. I didn't what drove me to thinking this way. There was absolutely no logic in it!

As I contemplated this, the barmaid walked back over and placed a mug of ale as well as a plate full of potatoes in front of me. I stared at it dumbly. "I can't pay for this," I muttered.

She gave me a generous smile. "It's on the house." I gave her a small smile and thanked her. At this point I didn't really care why she did it. I had food to eat.

This thought led to a whole array of sudden epiphanies, most of which scared me out of my mind. Sure, I had to food to eat now. But what about tomorrow and the next day? Where am I supposed to sleep? How am I supposed to survive in a place like this with no money and no survival skills!

I choked back a gasp as those sudden realizations hit me. Luckily, I didn't have to suppress it for very long. From the corner of my eye I noticed the man sitting alone by the door rise and walk over to the large group across the room. However, one of the reptile-men stopped reached out with a clawed hand and grabbed at him. Yet just as that happened, the door to the Inn burst open with such force that it slammed into the wall and created a dent.

"Thief!" the man in the doorway roared. He pointed an accusatory finger at me strode across the Inn to where I was sitting. In terror, I leapt up from my chair with so quickly that it toppled over onto the floor. "Thief!"

"No!" I began feebly. "No! I didn't steal it!"

He didn't seem to hear me or if he did he didn't care. He grabbed my upper arm dragged me away from the corner. In the process, the hood fell back from my face and everyone in the Inn could see me. The knight in the corner immediately stood and placed a hand on the hilt of his sword, but he didn't come to my aid. The angry looking man slammed me against a wooden table that dug painfully into my back. Then he drew a lethal-looking sword.

"Ok!" I gasped in fright. "So I stole a cloak and pack. What's the big deal!" I didn't honestly think a missing cloak was enough to make him cut my throat, but apparently I was wrong.

"A liar and a thief!" He snarled. "Ya stole my money, too!" Shit!

The man, nasty, dirty, and rugged, pressed the sword to my throat. The goblin-looking creatures were cheering wildly at the sight of violence, hoping to watch me bleed. It was one of the reptile men who saved me from death at that moment.

"Don't kill her!" one said in a drunken slur. "She 'ould be worth a sumthin' as a slave."

I felt the blade of the sword retract slightly, but it was still there. The man snarled. "I'm not gonna kill 'er. I'm gonna take 'her to the slave market – after I've taught 'er a lesson!"

Two reptile men, now eager to see me in pain, lurched forward and grabbed my flailing arms. They pinned me to the table as the man raised his sword above me. I heard the knight's armor clank as he made a move to come closer to me, but there were shouts of protests from his companions.

"Let go of me!" I shouted. The clawed hands instantly released me though I wasn't sure why. The man gave them an angry, quizzical look. I took advantage of the moment to employ some basic self defense. I kicked the man hard in the groin and then rolled off the table. As he doubled over in pain I grabbed his head and slammed it against the wood. He fell to the floor with a thud.

The goblins jumped at me, hatred and bloodlust in their eyes; the reptile men turned their attention to the man they were calling "elven scum." Now was apparently the time that the odd assortment of people decided it was time to intervene, because the knight clanked over to me while the big man and the bearded man assisted the "elven scum."

"Let go of her," the knight demanded while doing something that I concluded was a salute. The goblins must have deemed the knight more worthy of their time because they flung me away from them in a direction that ended up being the fireplace.

I hit the wooden wall with a thud and groaned in pain. As I gasped for breath I looked down to make sure that I wasn't on fire. To my amazement – and horror – my right hand had missed grabbing the wall and was now dangling in the fire. But I felt no searing pain or consuming heat. The flames only tickled my hand. I jerked my hand out quickly and noticed that my necklace, which had previously been tucked safely beneath my shirt, had been thrown free.

I studied the pendant and was once more lost in its design and beauty. The mighty dragon that was sitting atop it drew most of my attention and I barely noticed that the five gems had disappeared. But I did notice that the necklace was now humming softly. It may not have been very loud, but the melodic sound filled my ears and mind.

Reacting on impulse I hadn't known I possessed, I grabbed a poker from the fire place and whirled around. The end of it was a gleaming, malevolent red. Seeing it gave me horrific thoughts of death and blood. My desire was only to save myself and kill anyone in my way. I lashed out with the poker. It bit through the soft flesh of a goblin's throat. His eyes glazed over and his body went limp. He fell to the floor as I withdrew the poker.

Seeing the goblin lying in a pool of his own blood, and knowing that it was my doing, was enough to break me out of my anger and hatred. Horrified at what I had done, I dropped the poker and glanced around the room. Everyone, including the barmaid, seemed to have place fighting the wretched creatures and even some humans. The only one who didn't was the red robed man still sitting in the corner. He hadn't moved but he was watching me intently with what appeared to be golden eyes. His stare didn't unnerve me nearly as much as the fact that he would remain sitting there and let his companions face death on their own did.

I returned his stare for a few intense moments. Had he seen my hand in the fire? I began to wonder. Or had he heard my necklace, too? I didn't know, but it was starting to make me self-conscious and even more confused. Only the yell of one the fighting companions returned me to reality.

"He's getting away! He's going to get the guards!"

I whirled around yet again to find a goblin jump out of one of the windows. Only a few seconds later the pink faces of more horrible creatures lined up around the outside of the Inn. A small group of them entered the doorway, one of them seemingly in charge.

"It was her, Fewmaster!" one of the goblins said to the leader. He had raised a grubby pinkish finger and was pointing it at me. I fearfully took a step towards the knight and his companions who had all gathered in the center of the Inn, including the barmaid. "She started it!"

"Did not," I muttered.

"Why hasn't she been shipped to Pax Tharkas yet?" the Fewmaster asked. "She'd make a nice addition for Lord Verminaard. So would the rest of them." I wasn't quite sure of who they talking about, but I knew _what_ they were talking about and I cringed all the same. "We can change that tonight. Put down all your belongings. Now!" Now he was talking to all of us.

No one in the group moved, save for the barmaid who gave up the skillet she had used to defend herself. If anything, they only gripped their weapons more tightly.

"We cannot fight them, Tanis," I heard a soft, hissing voice. The red robed from the corner came forward and stood with the rest of the group. At an order from the Fewmaster a goblin lurched for his staff. The man whispered a few words in a language I did not understand and yellow darts shot from his hand and pierced the goblin's throat. He fell to floor dead.

"A magic-user," the goblins muttered. "He's a magic user."

Magic? I worked to catch my breath. Magic doesn't exist, I told myself, but just looking at the strange man told me otherwise.

He turned to the red bearded man in the group. "We cannot fight them, Tanis. We must do as they say." Grudgingly, the members of their odd group began laying down weapons. None of them looked too thrilled, but the barbarian woman in particular was dead set against giving them her pack. The red robed man moved towards her and said things that I couldn't hear. She eventually laid it down. Then he turned to me expectantly. As expected, I put down "my" pack. Satisfied, the man bent down and said more strange words. This time there was a bright flash. When he stood back up he said something that nearly made me burst out laughing.

"These items are now under the protection of the great worm Catyrpelius. If anyone who does not own these things touches them, they will slowly be devoured by the worm." His words caused a ripple of muttering from the goblins. The Fewmaster took a step back, glaring at him. It took him a few moments to recover, but when he did his greedy eyes were on me.

"Look. She has gold on her. Take it form her!" Two goblins instantly surged forward. I shook my head, anger bubbling in me. It seemed to me at that moment that the greatest injustice was my precious necklace being ripped from me. But before I could protest, a pink greedy hand reached for it.

The moment his hand touched it, there was a flash of blinding purple light followed by a scream of agony. When the light faded, the goblin was writhing on the floor in pain. His hand was withered and black, but whatever effect my necklace had on him didn't stop with his hand. The darkness spread upward from his arm, turning his ugly pinkish skin black. Slowly, agonizingly, it encompassed the goblin's entire body. Then his flesh cracked and his body deteriorated to dust.

I felt a hand on my arm. "What did you do!" a man yelled at me. He had delicate features and pointed ears. "What have you done to him, witch!"

"Nothing," I stammered. I was so horrified by the sight that I could barely speak. "I did nothing!"

"Leave her alone, Gilthanas," the man called Tanis said warningly. He gave me a look of sympathy and suspicion as Gilthanas released me, though he still glared.

Now completely fuming, the Fewmaster shouted at his goblins. "Take them away! And find a way to move these things!"

With that the goblins surged forward to take possession of their captives, though I noticed that they were awfully careful not to brush my necklace.

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**Sorry it was a little long and drawn out. I also apologize if I didn't get the scene right but I don't have the book in front of me. I hope you all enjoyed it. R&R!**


	3. Ignorance is Torture

**Author's Note: Thank you to all who reviewed. I'm glad you like the story so far. I don't have much to say and I don't want to keep you waiting, so here goes. Enjoy! R&R!

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Time could not have passed more slowly for me in the days that followed. We were made to sit in large iron cages as prisoners of the fewmaster. At the start of the journey I sat apart from everyone with my knees curled up to my chest, staring at the filthy ground. The companions cast suspicious glances at my and the man/elf called Gilthanas. But no one said a word.

But the trouble began before we even moved out of Solace. I was sitting alone, wallowing in self pity and terror, when I heard angry shouts. I leaned towards the bars of the cage and watched silently as a group of goblins tossed a black man inside the cage. He hit with a thud and I noticed with horror that his arm had been cut off. Blood was flowing from it and pooling in the cage. I nearly gagged on the horrible reeking scent.

"He does not have to die," the barbarian woman stated calmly. She removed her hood and began to walk over to the dying man.

"No!" Gilthanas argued. "There is no amount of magic on Krynn that can save him. At least let him die in peace without any of your barbaric witchcraft!"

But the woman didn't listen. She knelt down beside the black man and whispered a prayer. "Mishakal, I call upon your healing powers. If it be the will of the gods, let this man live and further fulfill his purpose. Bless him, Mishakal."

My eyes widened as the flesh of his arm closed over the wound and the blood flow ceased. Oh my god! What kind of hellish place am I in! First goblins and reptile me, then magic and now divine healing rites! I don't know where I am, but it's clear that I'm not in Kansas anymore!

Too stupefied to speak, I kept those thoughts quiet for the moment. It was then that I decided that these are not the people to make angry.

After that little interlude, all talking ceased. In fact, we traveled for (from what I could tell) a good two hours before anyone else said a word. As I gazed out at the reptile-men, it was me (in an uncharacteristic moment) who broke the silence.

"What are they?" I asked softly. Every head with the exception of magician and the man with the missing arm, who was in fact unconscious, turned to look at me.

"Draconians," Tanis answered simply. "They are dragon-men."

I scoffed. "Dragons don't actually exist."

"We didn't think so either," the big man stated somberly, "until we killed one."

"Caramon!" the knight glowered. Caramon fell silent and I guessed that people weren't supposed to know that they trumped a dragon.

I shook my head and cradled it in my arms. This was really getting to be too much. Everyone bone and brain cell I had told me not to believe that any of this was real. Dragons don't exist! They can't exist! Could they? But even as I thought that my childhood full of wonder and excitement resurfaced. How I longed to meet a dragon!

What! I was mentally cursing myself for that and repeating the phrase "dragons don't exist." But somewhere deep in my heart, closed off from everything else, something told me that they were real. That somewhere their divine beauty did grace the earth. That part of me wanted so badly to see one.

"I know it can be difficult to believe," Tanis comforted me softly. "We didn't want to believe it either. But it's true. They do exist. By the way," he decided to break the ice, "I'm Tanis Half-Elven, that's Sturm Brightblade, Caramon and Raistlin Majere, Tika Waylan, Flint Fireforge, Riverwind, Goldmoon, Theros Ironfeld, Gilthanas, and that little one is-"

"And I'm Tasslehoff Burrfoot!" the impish looking child bounded over and extended his hand. He was the only one with any remote sign of happiness. "But my friends all call me Tas."

"Alessandra," I replied shaking Tas's hand. I didn't bother giving a last name. What did really matter here anyhow?

"Alessandra. Wow, that's a nice name. It doesn't sound like you come from around here, though. Well, I bet you've seen all kinds of great things where you come from. You know just the other day I was telling Flint about the time when I found a magic ring…" And Tas was off. I didn't have the slightest clue what he was talking about and further more I didn't care. I was still trying to figure out what he was.

"Uh, Tas," Tanis cut the little guy off once he saw my face. "Let's give her some time alone. It's clear she's had a long day."

Tas pouted in a very childlike manner. "Oh, we've all have a long day. Besides, I'm just being nice. If she isn't from around here she probably doesn't have any friends here. And it isn't very nice manners to keep her friendless. As my father used to say, 'Living a life without friends to share it with is-'"

"Shut up, you bloody kender!" Flint roared. Tas shot the dwarf a hurt look but immediately hushed.

Tanis sent me an apologetic look, but I couldn't keep a smile away. Not like I knew what a kender is, but there just so much amusement in the way Flint and Tas argued. Then Tanis's face took a thoughtful expression and I knew he was thinking about how I got here, where I came from, and if he could trust me. But Tanis, I noticed, was too polite to openly ask me anything.

But there was one person in the group who didn't share Tanis's politeness or tasteful discretion or subtleties.

"If you are not from here," Raistlin's hissing voice cut through the air with more power and effect than anyone else could have achieved any other way, "where is it that you come from?"

"A long way away," I said softly. Strangely, I noticed that I didn't want to think about where I came from. Not all of my memories were positive and, in fact, I wished that most of them would disappear. On some level, conscious or subconscious, I realized that being here offered me a chance to completely disregard my childhood and my family. Yet at the time I was too afraid and unnerved by these mystical happenings to think about that. Far more important is where I am now and what is going to happen next.

"Um, this may sound strange," I began quietly, "but where exactly is here?"

I saw Raistlin's eyes gleam golden in interest and disbelief. I also saw Gilthanas shake his head and mutter something in a strange language. Other companions stared at me in shock and I averted my eyes.

"We are leaving Solace in the custody of Fewmaster Toede who will bring us to Lord Verminaard," Raistlin explained with a hint of amusement. What the hell is there to be amused about!

I bit my lip in embarrassment, but if I was going to survive here I needed to know some basic information. "Who are they? And, um, where is Solace located, relatively speaking?"

Tanis, utterly bewildered at my lack of knowledge, opened his mouth to explain things to me, but Gilthanas cut him off. "No, Tanis! No! Do not explain these things to her! No one can possibly be that ignorant! She probably knows everything and is just trying to get us to tell her something important. A spy! That's what she is, a spy!"

"Maybe he's right, Tanis," Caramon said softly, casting a suspicious glance my direction. Sturm leaned towards the two companions and I heard him say something in agreement. It looked to me like Tanis bit back a sharp reply, but when he looked back at me I could tell that Gilthanas had gained ground. Chances are I wouldn't get much out of this group now. Then once again it was Raistlin who dared say what everyone else was too polite to say.

"Perhaps you are right, elflord. Perhaps she is a spy, but that is very unlikely. It is my belief that she is truly too ignorant to know these things." At that moment I decided that I hated his hissing voice and his ability to pierce silence with such stunning capacity. In short, I hated him.

"Just because I'm not form here doesn't make me ignorant, it makes me different! And for your information I happen to know a lot of the happenings of the world," I snapped angrily, taking everyone by surprise. I always did have a flaring temper when people tried to undermine my intelligence, common sense, or personal value. And right now Raistlin was hitting all three. Then I added softly, "Just not this world."

"I think you're all judging too harshly," Goldmoon cut in. She rose from her unconscious patient and made her way over to me with soft, sympathetic eyes. "If she is truly not from here then she would not know what has happened here, and we cannot hold that against her. To do so is to condemn her to ignorance rather than trying to help her."

Though her words were kind and well meant, they only served to fuel my anger more. I had spent nearly my entire life getting by on my own and making things work for me. Charity and sympathy were unknown epidemics that only served to weaken and incapacitate those who could otherwise prove to be strong and independent. I hadn't needed them before and I sure as shit didn't need them now!

I turned my face away from Goldmoon in a silent effort to dissuade her. Naturally, my misfortune resulted in me turning my head towards Raistlin. His golden eyes gleamed at when they met my glare. He regarded me with a look that I couldn't quite decipher, but it was broken all too soon he was overcome by a fit of coughing. Caramon gave a concerned call and Tika rushed over to him, but he snarled and withdrew from her. For the first time it struck me how weak and frail he was. But I also saw determination and anger lurking somewhere beneath the surface.

Stubbornly determined to remain angry, I turned away from the mage and looked at Tanis. He was deep in thought, a look that I discovered remained permanently plastered on his bearded face. Once he had stroked his beard the magical number of times and a solution or course of action spontaneously popped into his head, he met my gaze.

"I believe you," he said finally.

I gave a disbelieving laugh. "What is there to believe? I haven't admitted or denied anything."

He sighed and I could tell that he was aggravated. "At any rate I believe that you're not from here and that you're not a spy. Would like to know about where you are and the war that's about to happen?"

He was regarding me harshly now, which was understandable considering that I hadn't been entirely kind. But the mention of war was enough to shake me out of anger. I suddenly felt very small and insignificant and completely helpless. It was a sensation that I worked very hard to keep at bay, but now it was too overwhelming. I fell silent and nodded.

Yet before we could begin my education, Gilthanas interrupted yet again. "You are going to this now, Half-Elf? Why would you waste you time and energy on this girl now?"

"Excuse me, but I didn't ask for your help," I answered him coldly. "And unless you have some prior engagement that demands all of your time and energy I think now is as good as a time any. Because in case you haven't noticed, we're in a cage. We're not going anywhere!"

Satisfied, Tanis began to explain Solace, Ansalon, and Krynn to me. I learned about the different races on Krynn, the religious histories, and the Cataclysm. He eventually felt the need to explain about the reawakening of dragons and the mysterious appearance of draconians and armies to the north. Other members of the group would interject their thoughts and opinions randomly, sometimes sharing a legend from their different backgrounds. Yet Raistlin's silence said more to me than anything the other companions could shout. I was beginning to understand that he just had that kind of effect on people.

It took nearly an entire day to fully explain these things to me, but by the time Tanis was satisfied that I was up to speed, none of us had any breath left. The cages were still moving and it had been only one day, but we had been given little water and virtually no edible food. The torture was beginning to set in.

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**Sorry the chapter was a little shorter, but I needed to include when they were in the cage and it seemed like a good time to get the character up to speed without wasting a situation. So I hope you thought it was bearable and it will pick up once they get to Qualinesti. **

**Lastly, I've started with the development of the character. Tell me what you think! R&R!**


	4. Escape

**Author's Note: Thank you to all who reviewed. Special thanks to Phoenixasending, and now to answer your question:**

**According to the literal definition you are absolutely right. But Raistlin was attacking not just her knowledge of Krynn, but her ability to think and learn as he criticizes everyone else in the group. Alessandra is always defensive of her knowledge and basic intelligence (common sense, etc.) and was not happy when she thought he was attacking her general knowledge and brain capacity. Also, it is entirely her thoughts and she would never admit to being ignorant regardless of whether or not she knew it.**

**Hope that clears it up! Enjoy! R&R!

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We had been traveling as prisoners for four days. They were four of the longest, most excruciating days of my life. Following our educational interlude, no one had the strength or the desire to speak. We simply sat stiffly in the cage, silently wondering if we were ever going to get out alive.

I, to my utter embarrassment, had a worse reaction to the cage than most of the others. Being a girl from the USA, I had never gone hungry before. I had probably never gone more than six hours without food. And now I was being forced to go without food for four days. Naturally, two days into the journey I began to feel horribly weak and light headed. I couldn't see clearly nor could I process information.

The sun beat down on our cage with blistering heat. My mouth and throat were permanently dry and parched, but that ceased to bother me. I was beginning to lose control of my senses. My head was spinning uncontrollably. Even as it happened, I felt myself slipping away. My vision blurred and I no longer wanted to remain conscious. The darkness seemed so much more comforting to me. After all, when I was surrounded by darkness there were no swirling colors and sounds to give me a headache.

I vaguely remember the procession stopping somewhere. I caught the words "Arrest the tree! Obstruction of sunlight!" but had absolutely no idea what they were talking about (and neither did anyone else for that matter). I knew we were joined by another man, but I did not know anything about him apart from catching his name, Fizban.

My hand closed around the metal bar of the cage in an effort to grip reality, or maybe it was to keep myself sitting up. I don't remember which. In any case my hand closed around it, but before long it too slipped away from me. My head swam with pain and I cold no longer open my eyes. My skin burned one minute, but chilled the next. First I felt the blazing heat of a thousand fires, next the sharp crackle of lightning.

Suddenly a strong wind was rushing about me. I couldn't tell if it blew from in front of me or behind, or maybe even from beneath me. Regardless, it sent my hair flying around me, rushed past my ears leaving me deaf for the moment. But with the wind came an undeniable feeling of freedom. It surged over me and left me completely breathless. In that instant, the freedom that came was all I ever needed. Freedom and power.

Caught up in the moment, I tried to open my eyes and soak in the moment. But before I could colors began swirling in my mind at an alarming rate. Emerald green shone brightly, followed by blood red and deep sapphire blue. Glittering onyx was the last to appear, but it began taking on shapes. Wings, massive onyx wings sparkled vividly in the light of the sun. Huge, powerful legs with long pearlescent talons, sharp teeth with a marble hue that reflected intense power and capabilities. A beautiful pair of eyes, the color of blood rubies, stared directly into mine. They were strong, majestic, and regal and pierced my heart in only a moment. I couldn't catch my breath.

Finally the various shapes came together to form something completely amazing and breathtaking. I saw with my mind's eye creatures of unmatchable beauty and majesty. Words could not describe the power that they possessed and the feelings they inspired. I knew in that second that they were real. My only desire was to be with them, to have the wind rushing by me and to know that I inspired the same feelings of freedom and power in them that I felt.

"Dragons." I whispered the word as though I did not think myself worthy enough to say it. Then, deciding that I liked the way it sounded, I said it louder. "Dragons."

Instantly my eyes shot open. Everything was made shockingly clear in my moments of darkness and light. With new found strength I leapt off the floor of the dirty cage, my eyes trained on the sky. The hobgoblin guards, startled by my quick actions, had their arrows aimed at my heart. Every conscious person around me was staring with a mix of shock and apprehension.

"Dragons are coming!"

I heard hobgoblins scoff as they lowered their bows. Some of the companions looked at me with mild interest, others with sympathy or even disgust, but a few knew that my words held truth. I felt more than saw Tanis and Caramon exchange looks, and I could definitely feel Raistlin's strange eyes pierce me with intrigue. But at that moment nothing seemed more logical or fantastic than dragons appearing.

A few long, intense moments passed. I remained with my head tilted back watching the sky with growing anticipation. I knew dragons were approaching. It was a fact to me more solid than the ground I was standing on. Somewhere in my body or mind I simply felt it and I knew that I was right. And sure enough, once everyone else was secure with the thought that I was going crazy, a hulking black mass appeared above the trees.

The first to break through was a massive black dragon followed by half a dozen dragons in various hues of blue, red, and green. They were all glorious and amazing, but none could match the breathtaking qualities that the first dragon possessed. He glittered exactly the way I had seen him in my mind's eye. His massive wingspan was enough to blot out the sun when he flew past it. Even from where I stood on the ground I could see his brilliant red eyes and feel the majestic, awe-worthy power that he radiated.

Upon seeing the flight, we were all frozen in place. But unlike them, my face did not turn to a scowl nor twist in fright. My mouth dropped open in wonder and I couldn't take my eyes off them. My heart reached out to them and I felt my necklace hum softly against my chest. The sound filled my ears the way the dragons touched my mind. My heart reached out to them.

But all too soon they were gone, disappearing beyond the trees and hidden once more from me. My spirit sagged immediately but I remained standing with one hand on the iron bars. I lowered my eyes and face back to the squalor around me.

"How did you know that?" Raistlin asked harshly between coughs. I swallowed hard but did not answer. In truth I didn't know.

"Alessandra," Tanis cut in sharply, preventing Raistlin from saying anything more. "We're not accusing you of anything, but you knew the dragons were coming. How?"

I opened my mouth to defend myself, but was cut off by a sharp bird whistle. Gilthanas was on his feet, all thoughts of dragons forgotten. The next thing I knew arrows were raining down on us. Every body in the cage threw itself to the floor. I was about to join them when an arrow bit through my flesh and buried itself in my forearm. I screamed out in pain and dropped to the floor beside Tika, whose face was probably as pale as my own.

"What's going on!" Tanis demanded of Gilthanas.

"We are being rescued!" Gilthanas stated. "The elves are giving us cover fire."

"Bullshit!" I snarled as I cradled my wounded arm. Unfortunately no one heard me except Tika, but she made no movement and remained staring fearfully at Caramon. I watched in pain as a gully dwarf attempted to break the lock on the cage, but failed. Then I heard the strange old man speak.

"I seem to remember a spell…fireball, excellent spell. Let me think, how did it go?" He rambled on for a moment. Then he appeared to have remembered because he said a few words in a language I couldn't understand (I was beginning to realize that there were a lot of those) and suddenly a fireball exploded in the cage!

Tika and I screamed in fear and grabbed each other as flames went shooting by. Tika (lucky for her) was far enough away from the flames not to be singed. But I was not. Flames engulfed my lower legs, but once more I felt nothing except a warm tingling. However, my clothing didn't deal with fire as aptly as I did because it erupted in flames. I shrieked (more in fear than in pain) and ripped off my cloak and part of my athletic pants. At that moment I really didn't care that I looked completely out of place in modern athletic clothing.

By this time the door was open and we were rushing outside. Caramon helped Tika and me out of the cage, then left Raistlin and Fizban in our charge. Then Tika followed Raistlin to retrieve the companions' belongings and I was left with Fizban.

"Get to the woods!" Caramon yelled at us.

I didn't need to be told twice. I grabbed Fizban's arm and made a mad dash to the forest. After all, fighting and life threatening situations are not my cup of tea. Tika and Raistlin met us halfway. Raistlin shoved my pack into my hands, sparing a curious glare at my attire. Then he began running for the woods again with Tika on his heels. I had reached the conclusion that she was only so close to him because she wanted Caramon's attention and this was the way to do it. So I was, once again, left with Fizban.

We bolted for the woods, me cradling my wounded arm and he rambling on about the lack of respect the younger generation harbored for their elders. I'm sure it came from me pulling on his arm in an attempt to get us to safety. We had nearly reached the woods when Fizban stopped. I jerked to a stop in front of him, completely taken by surprise.

"What are you doing?" I asked desperately. I tried to grab onto his arm again but he wouldn't let me. "We need to get out of here! We'll be killed!"

Fizban's looked changed drastically from a completely befuddled smile to a thoughtful frown. He glanced towards the forest to where the rest of the companions were running inside and seeking shelter. Then he looked back at me and his gaze softened.

"No, my dear, not quite time yet. You'll catch up with them soon enough. I'm so sorry." Then, with an apologetic shrug, Fizban raised his staff and thunked me over the head with it. I stared at him dumbly for a long moment. Just before my eyes closed and I fell to the ground I heard him mutter, "Terribly sorry for the violence, shouldn't have done it…"

My eyelids drooped and I saw him disappear. My legs gave out on me and I fell noisily into several large bushes. The last thing I remember is a searing pain in my forearm.

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**That chapter was a little shorter, but I thought it was fitting to end it there. And I know that may have been a little uncharacteristic of Fizban, but I have a little bit of artistic license. And, by the way, the next chapter is when I really start to create a story for Alessandra. **

**Hope you enjoyed it. R&R!**


	5. Just Like Me

**Author's Note: Thank you to those who reviewed. Just to let you know, almost every character in this chapter was created by me. I know it may seem like a little much, but it helps to thicken the plot and create a better understanding of Alessandra. Enjoy! R&R!**

There was no telling how long I had been unconscious. Maybe a minute, maybe a day. All I could tell was that the sun looked to be in about the same relative position (not that I knew much about that) in the sky, and that I was once again in mortal peril.

Once my eyes opened and recovered from the initial pain in my forearm, I glanced quickly at my surroundings. I was lying in a cluster of bushes at the edge of a forest, which did a good job of explaining why I was so uncomfortable and scratched up. My head ached from a large lump on the back of it, and my headache wasn't helped by the bright sunlight. I squinted against the pain, but it was soon drowned out when I spotted a group of dark figures in the road.

Draconians. A group of about five or six draconians all dressed in matching jet black armor were lingering in the road, looting the dead humans, draconians, and hobgoblins that perished during our escape. It was strange that they were the only ones since the last moments that I could remember consisted of several hundred draconians and hobgoblins. Maybe they were stragglers, or maybe they were just looking to make an easy buck. All I knew was that I had remained hidden so long as I was lying down, but now that I was awake and sitting up one of them spotted me.

Why did time just never slow down! Could I not just have one second to breathe! First I get into a bar brawl, then I get put in a cage where I eventually get shot in the arm, and now I'm about to get assaulted by a group of draconians! Again! Life sucks!

Well, apparently whatever gods they worshipped around here didn't seem to care that much about my griping, because the draconians who had spotted me drew weapons and began advancing. I panicked at the sight of their gleaming blood stained swords and leapt to my feet in a meek attempt at self defense. I tried to raise my left arm, but I was unable to because of the arrow. Seeing me in my weakened state only encouraged the draconians. As they drew closer to me one of them actually licked the blood on their sword. I would have gagged had I not been so terrified I was frozen.

I backed away a few steps though I knew that wouldn't help me any. It was clear to me that I was at the end. There were five armed, deadly draconians against one weak, injured human girl who hadn't the slightest idea in hell what she was doing! There was no possible way I could survive.

To cut off all my exits the reptile men flanked out around me, forming a sort of pentagon. I spun around in terror, trying to keep them all in my line of sight, but in vain. I wanted to scream, to yell in horrified agony, at the world for placing me in this situation. I was a fawn, not even experienced enough to understand the hunt, cornered by a group of ruthless, merciless hunters who knew the game inside and out. I was done. All I could do was lay down in hopeless, helpless surrender and pray that my death was fast. The desire to give in overwhelmed me.

Breathing too quickly, I turned once more and cast one last look at my killers. Their eyes burned with the eager anticipation of a kill that made my skin crawl. I found myself looking deeper into their eyes, meeting their gazes longer than I should have and each one longer than the last, until I finally stopped and stared at the draconian in front of me.

The scaly skin of the lizard man's face was drawn into a leering grin. His clawed hands gripped his weapon tightly, eagerly. As I studied him all of my helplessness faded away into cold, impassive apathy. A cold pit expanded in my stomach and I felt my expression harden. For reasons that I couldn't understand I no longer cared about my own life or the situation I was in. All I could see was the draconian in front of me and the sword in his hands. It was an implement of death, and it was coming at me.

The draconian seemed to wilt beneath my gaze. His reptilian eyes wavered and his arm lowered almost involuntarily. My eyes narrowed as I glared at him and he seemed to back away from me. In an instant his manner was almost respectful. But he was the only one who reacted this way to me. There were still four other draconians who would like nothing more than to cut me to pieces.

But that cold expanse was not limited to my stomach. It spread through my body until my entire mindset changed and left in its place a burning hatred, something that could almost be described as a darkness. Where fear had dominated me only a moment before now rested hatred, extreme hatred, and…power? I had the strangest sensation of power coursing through me, the idea that they had no independence from me. It was the idea of my dominance over them; they lived only to serve me. Who can say where it came from?

The origin of these thoughts and feelings ceased to matter. I turned slowly around the group, fastening each one of them with a gaze that I was sure was powerful enough to make even dragons cringe. It certainly affected the draconians. They all lowered their swords and took more passive stances, but they still leered at me. It was as though their bodies had no choice but to obey me while they minds raced with sadistic thoughts.

However, their partial obedience did not suit me well enough at the moment. Though something told me that there would come a later time for me to teach them true respect for their superiors, I still had the desire to cut their throats and watch them bleed. Blood, that was all that I wanted. Yet even though I had wanted to kill them at that moment I did not have had the opportunity. Everything about the situation, the tension, the hatred, even my own inner hardness, was cut short by a strong male voice.

"That will do," the voice commanded calmly yet firmly. It cut through my mind and jarred my thoughts. At that jolt of reality all feelings of superiority left. My anger and hatred subsided and I was left an injured, helpless girl yet again. But now I was absolutely disgusted with myself for my violent thoughts. Worse, my head buzzed with confusion and whatever hold I once had over the draconians was now broken. They gripped their weapons tightly again, death shining in their eyes.

Frightened, I whirled around to see if this newcomer was friend or foe. What I saw made my heart pound in terror. A man was standing at the edge of the forest in gleaming black and gold armor. He held a horned mask beneath his arm and a cape of black and gold swirled around him. Swords and daggers hung from his belt. He had blond hair that hung to his chin and a square jaw that reminded me of Brad Pitt. His mouth was set with a grim expression, yet his eyes had a cheerful sparkle in them that I hadn't expected to be there. Surrounding him were four more draconians all in matching black armor, but to his right was a man that I found absolutely captivating.

He was slim and hard looking, not at all like the kind of person I would normally associate with. But then again normalcy died a long time ago. He had long, smooth black hair that reached to his shoulders and blended into his velvety black robes. His arms met and his hands disappeared through the folds of the black sleeves. Yet when I reached his eyes I knew instantly why I was drawn to him. His eyes, his brilliant ruby eyes, were latched onto mine. I felt a strange sensation in my stomach, something that I couldn't place. It was as though he could see into my soul and I could see into his. And it felt right, perfect.

I was meant to be near him.

"I feel I must apologize," the blond man said with a slight southern accent though I barely heard him. He continued, "Draconians often have no conception of manners." He chuckled, then, seeing how entranced I was by his companion, cast a quick glance at him and smirked. "Madam, if I may make it up to you by bringing you to my camp, offering you hospitality."

A slight nagging sensation jerked at my brain. Giving into it, I looked away from the black clad man at the blond man. Quickly processing his words and not willing to risk offending him, I nodded. He gave me a pleased smile and I took a second to note that he was rather attractive. Not that I had forgotten about the sword and helmet and all that, but a girl can look even while on the brink of death.

Besides, while the enveloping pit of cold darkness had subsided, it had not completely vanished. I could still feel it ebbing beneath the surface. Something about it, and the black clad man, told me that I would be welcomed among these people. That cold darkness nudged me forward, itching to be drawn out once again by this black clad man.

The march back to his camp took longer than expected. Much longer than expected. About thirty minutes longer than expected. Okay, okay. So thirty minutes really isn't that long to walk, but you have to remember that I've been shot in the arm and haven't had anything to eat or drink in four days. I think thirty minutes is too long.

And apparently so did our golden caped, black armored leader, who had introduced himself to me as Lord Milanthus, Dragon Highlord. I had long ago concluded that the names here were very strange and this only served to further prove my point. Shut up all you people sniggering about Alessandra! Anyway, Lord Milanthus noticed too. First he saw my wound, staring briefly at the arrow and telling me not to remove it in order to keep bleeding at a minimum. Then, as time passed, he turned to the black clad man who had yet to introduce himself and remarked something about creating a litter for me if I was unable to walk the rest of the way. The ruby eyed man only nodded. But, of course, I felt that similar desire to prove my own worth and make it on my own. And a few minutes later we arrived at a large clearing set in the middle of the forest.

It was not at all what I would have imagined the camp of a Dragon Highlord would look like, at least not based on what Tanis and all them had told me of Dragon Highlords. All in all, it wasn't very large. Only about twenty tents stood erect at one end of the clearing. As many draconians were set to work around them, some sharpening weapons, others patching tents or armor, and some cleaning cookware. At the other end sat a large crackling fire beneath a spit. A chunk of meat was roasting on the spit, but it didn't seem like enough to feed the group in attendance in the clearing. A few stones had been assembled around the fire to serve as seating, and some were already occupied by about half a dozen men and women bearing a striking resemblance to the ruby eyed man. They all had long dark hair, hard expressions, and lean bodies. It was only really the color of their robes that set them apart from one another. The man walking with Milanthus, I noted, was the only one who wore black.

Milanthus ordered a bucket of water and some clean rags and the draconian troops instantly departed. Then he steered me over to the fire and motioned to a large stone somewhat apart from the others. I sat obediently, now horribly aware of the arrow in my arm and the growing cold pit in my chest.

As I sat, the six men and women all ceased talking and looked my direction. I immediately noted their glowing ruby eyes, the same color as the black clad man who was now standing a ways behind me to my right. Their burning eyes first latched onto my necklace which was hanging freely across my black racerback. Then their gazes moved upward to my face, where I met them unafraid. The cold pit grew, though I couldn't say why, and I recognized them from their gazes. My stomach began to turn with excitement.

Dragons! They were dragons!

I was speechless with delight. The thought of being in the presence of something so divine was incredible, but to have them so near to me and looking at me was beyond comprehension! It inspired me in a way I can't describe. It wasn't a dark pit that erupted within me, but rather a warm feeling of comfort. It was like I had been lost for so long, torn away from them, but now I was back and they were there to welcome me.

And one of them saw it in my eyes. Her hardened face gave me a surprisingly soft smile with eyes that burned. Maybe they burned because I was here. Whatever the reason, she turned away from me, followed by the rest of her group. They quickly returned to talking in low voices that I couldn't hear. The dark warmth in me willed Milanthus, or anyone for that matter, to bring me over to them.

Yet he noticed nothing. He sat to my left and examined my wounded arm. Slowly my attention returned to him. He was unlike anything I heard about a Dragon Highlord. Tanis had told me that they were violent and cruel, not caring about human life in least. But here was Milanthus, examining my arm after he had saved my life. And I, a girl so out of place in this world that I was beginning to lose hope. And then he spoke.

"How did you get this?" He had a slightly southern accent that made me think of my home in the south.

"Elves," I said quietly, not sure just how much to say. I flinched as he tweaked the arrow.

"Elves value all life, even human life. Why would they shoot you?" He didn't even look up at me as he spoke. It was almost as if he knew the answer.

"I don't think they - Ow! - meant to." He looked up at me and gave me an apologetic smile. For the first time I noticed that his eyes were a beautiful deep, sapphire color. I couldn't help giving a small smile in return. His eyes held mine for a moment longer, and I was surprised to find something familiar about them. I couldn't quite place it, but I knew that he was different than everyone else here.

Then he nodded and looked back down at my arm. "You were with the slave caravans." It was a statement, not a question. My thoughts immediately went to Goldmoon. In the cage I remembered hearing talk of how she was the cleric that was sought after by Lord Verminaard, and simply being in her company was enough to have me executed. I waited breathlessly for Milanthus to strike me down, a cold knot in my stomach.

But he didn't. He didn't even look back at me. My eyes narrowed in confusion. I didn't understand anything about this damn world, least of all him! If he was so evil, shouldn't he have killed me by now? Yet even as I gave Milanthus and utterly bewildered stare, I felt a pair of eyes burning into my back. The black clad man was still there, staring intently at me and not making a sound.

At that moment a draconian soldier hurried over to us carrying a bucket of water and rags, exactly as ordered. He bowed respectfully to Milanthus, but eyed me warily. The raised an eyebrow as I felt the coldness stirring once again. Part of me desperately wanted this draconian to strike me or do something else to initiate that feeling of cold hatred. That part of me loved it. The other part of me was desperately afraid and fought against it. I contented myself with raising an eyebrow at the reptilian creature.

"Very good," Milanthus said absently, completely unaware of my inner struggle. He took the bucket and rags and set them on the stone next to him. Then he turned back to the soldier. "Bring me Ghazakk." The soldier bowed, this time not meeting my gaze, and left.

"This will hurt," the Highlord told me sternly as he gripped part of the arrow shaft. I braced myself for pain as he broke off one end of the arrow. I gasped in pain as the head jarred and twisted in my flesh. He placed a rag at the end of the shaft and pushed the arrow completely through my flesh until the wood slid smoothly out. I gasped in pain as crimson blood flowed freely from my open wound. Milanthus quickly tied a few rags around it and pressed against it, which consequently only made it hurt more. When the bleeding had slowed enough, he released the pressure but tied another rag tighter on top of the others. Then he looked around to find a black robed draconian waiting to be addressed.

While they spoke I gently fingered the bandages of my sore arm. With the familiar sensation of someone watching me, I lifted my eyes to find all six men and women staring at me curiously. Well, at first glance I thought they were looking at me, but then I noticed that they were really looking _past_ me. Curious and slightly anxious, I turned around to find the black clad man's eyes burning into mine. In his eyes I saw more emotion than I could have thought possible. Anger burned at the surface, though I didn't know why. But as I felt myself pulled deeper into his gaze I recognized pain and sorrow, though again I wasn't sure why. Yet what left me breathless was his passion. With one look I saw more passion in his eyes than I had ever imagined possible.

My heart nearly stopped when he opened his mouth to speak, but he never had the chance to issue any words because Milanthus cut him off. The dark Highlord positioned himself in front of me and stuck a strange looking bottle in front of my face.

"A healing potion. Now, I'm sure that cleric of yours could heal this in an instant, but why make you wait when I can heal now?" Confused and now completely self conscious, I took the bottle from him. But I didn't drink. I may have been taken by surprise by this man several times now, but I wasn't about to be poisoned.

"Why are you helping me?" I asked no longer able to contain my suspicions.

Milanthus smiled. "Because from what I can tell, you're American. Just like me."

Stunned, I dropped the bottle and heard it shatter against the stone. "I beg your pardon?"

**Sorry that took so long to update. First I went on vacation with my family (and far away from computers) and then I was panicking to finish my summer assignments. But I'm going to try to update this story and Untouchable once more before school starts in two days. I also know that this story didn't have much in it, but I needed to put everything in it. The next one will start explaining a few things, like the name of the mysterious black robed man/dragon.**

**Thanks! R&R!**


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